After several days of tough new ads from McCain’s campaign, the presumptive Democratic nominee holds a 4-point advantage over the presumptive Republican nominee in CNN's average of national polls, up slightly from the 3-point margin he held on Friday.

A week ago, he led McCain by a six-point margin, a reflection of traditionally volatile summer polling.

The poll of polls includes the latest Gallup daily tracking poll, conducted August 2-4, that gave Obama a 4-point advantage. Late last week, the same poll showed the two candidates tied at 44 percent.

“The Democrats appear to have blunted any momentum Sen. McCain gained from last week’s ad associating Sen. Obama with Britney Spears and Paris Hilton,” noted CNN Senior Political Researcher Alan Silverleib. “Once again, we are seeing that Obama has a small but durable edge over McCain. It is up to McCain to find a way to change the fundamental dynamics of this campaign.”

In addition to the Gallup daily tracking poll, the CNN poll of polls also included a USA Today/Gallup survey conducted July 25-27 and a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation conducted July 27-29. The CNN poll of polls does not have a margin of error.

soundoff(300 Responses)

NEVEROBAMA,
do you really think Hillary will cut her own throat by NOT helping the dems.....unlike you, she actually has more sense than that.

SHE LOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

get over it already.....

August 5, 2008 02:42 pm at 2:42 pm |

Debi

I have been on the fence since the primaries, but I know that I do not want McCain. I have enough of the repubs. Even through the Clinton presidency they were about nonissues and we just do not have time to play on their playground anymore.

August 5, 2008 02:43 pm at 2:43 pm |

Susan

Thanks, McLame. Your bigoted and racist ads just helped in proving you are not fit to run the country!

August 5, 2008 02:43 pm at 2:43 pm |

Hiliary Supporter

Surged Out, stay out of politics you idiot, you are an empty barrel just like Obama, why do you thing he wants Hiliary and her husband to campaign for him, withought them he will loose, Hiliary can campaign as much as she wants for him, we are still not going to vote for him

August 5, 2008 02:43 pm at 2:43 pm |

Sal

these polls are annoying. they don't take into consideration the millions of new voters, young voters, and black voters that will swarm to the polls in November, setting records and changing the political landscape, converting red states to blue states and securing Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States,

Obama in '08

August 5, 2008 02:43 pm at 2:43 pm |

It Be Me

db,
can you read????? if so, try reading the story again. Esp the part that says
***Late last week, the same poll showed the two candidates tied at 44 percent.****

God, it's no wonder this country is in trouble. People have stopped thinking.

August 5, 2008 02:44 pm at 2:44 pm |

Erica

We cares what the polls show, Its Obama 08-16

August 5, 2008 02:44 pm at 2:44 pm |

A-Man

As a Canadain Americans make me laugh. They have a great country. It is like the person given all the talent but choses not to use it. You have Hillary supporters crying to vote in the opposite of Hillary because they are crying she lost. Then you have people hating Bush, who by the way voted him in again last election after a disasterous first term. Now they are looking to vote in McCain who stands for everything wrong with Bush but yet more ratical. Who they called experienced because he was a war vet who was in a prison camp and tortured. Most people see these people as a little screwed in the head (not their fault) from what happened to them, Americans see them as experienced. They have 1 unknown running who at minimum rebuilds their credit to the rest of the world, but a worse can be no worse then the alternative and they won't vote for him due to he is black, inexperienced, beat Hillary or is not republican. Most nations vote for who will make them better of, who will improve their lives, Americans seek to vote based on he beat my candidate, he is black, he is not republican, he is not known so I will vote for a known to be horrible candidate. At what point do you Americans give yourselves the best chance and vote by common sense of what will benefit you and the country you live in?

August 5, 2008 02:45 pm at 2:45 pm |

Helene

@Neverobama

The smuck you will help winning is McCain. Are you proud of that moron ?

August 5, 2008 02:47 pm at 2:47 pm |

Diane, Wyoming

It would be interesting to know what Obama's lead over McCain is when you add Nader and Barr into the mix. Does the margin stay the same or does Sen. Obama's lead expand?

August 5, 2008 02:47 pm at 2:47 pm |

Hopeful in LA

To Neverobama - You don't want Hillary to help Obama, well how about Hillary helping the rest of us? If McBush is elected, I'm afraid our Country may never recover. Fortunately, Sen. Clinton is smart enough to realize that we cannot afford to continue in the same direction for another 4 years. Too bad you're so full of hate that you can't see that.

August 5, 2008 02:47 pm at 2:47 pm |

Rob in VA

I have to say that I think Sen. Obama will win in a landslide victory this November. I see VA going Democratic. I cannot see the victory going to Sen McCain. Just take a close, objective look at how well Barack did on his international trip. The world is waiting for Obama to become the next POTUS. The McCain campaign is drawing at staws at this point, because they know that this man's time has come. America's evolution is at hand and will not be stopped!!!!!!

OBAMA 08"

August 5, 2008 02:47 pm at 2:47 pm |

INDEPENDANT VET

A TAX PAYER VOTING FOR BARACK HUSSIEN OBAMA ,> IS LIKE A CHICKEN VOTING FOR COLONEL SANDERS.

2 POINTS AN NO SORE LIP. WEL CLUCK, CLUCK. PARIS .

August 5, 2008 02:48 pm at 2:48 pm |

jay

I admired Hilary a lot, but since she's going to campaing for Obama "the socialist" I will never vote for her....say no to obama, no to John Kerry, and no to Howard Dean, Nancy Polisy, Harry Reed......and all you Tax increase punks

August 5, 2008 02:48 pm at 2:48 pm |

tony

Lets get America paying more Taxes OBAMA 08'
Because everyone will-
anyone who has a pension including the Union Workers will pay up to a 34% Capital Gains Tax–
Current Law has that at 15%-
Lots more if you look hard enough-
Obama will not win-
He should be up by 20 Points ( The annointed elitest )
After all -
McCain is running a terrible Campaign-
Everyone hates Bush
McCain is Senile–
We have heard it all-IT appears that even after all of that-It's still a statisical dead heat !!
Strong Candidate-
When the Reps and Conservatives get serious in Sept-Oct–
MCCain will win-
Pretty sad commentary on the Dems-
You have no one to blame but all your special interest groups you have to cater too-
Well-At least you have Nancy Pelosi-!!! LOL

August 5, 2008 02:48 pm at 2:48 pm |

Down with McWar

fella from Chicago /That will be a smiling wide mouth frog turned $ss over teakettle.

August 5, 2008 02:48 pm at 2:48 pm |

grandma

I will vote to Obama and I do not know how McCain can run a country when he can not talk in the big crowd . McCain does not have anything to say where is his numbers and plan , he is only copycat the Obama and always talk about him nothing new. We want to know what is his plan

August 5, 2008 02:49 pm at 2:49 pm |

Victor

YES, the best news I've heard in 5 days. Keep gaining the momemtum because we really, really need to beat McCain. This country will not be able to last much longer under the Bush administration.

Obama 08

August 5, 2008 02:49 pm at 2:49 pm |

Phil Newton Murphy, Oregon

Polling away!

OBAMA 08

August 5, 2008 02:50 pm at 2:50 pm |

Roofin Reality, Houston, Tx.

db, nice take.
It shows that the polls are fluctuating daily, weekly.
The one thing that it shows is that Senator Obama hasn't lost that lead yet. Which means that we Americans haven't lost hope in terms of having a better future, a brighter future for ourselves and our children.

August 5, 2008 02:50 pm at 2:50 pm |

Wisest one of All

Even with the the mainstream media having already annointed Hussein Nobama and bending over backwards to show him in only a positive light the truth about him and his treasonous supporters keeps coming through!

America will reject this racist muslim in November!

August 5, 2008 02:50 pm at 2:50 pm |

Wondering-IL

Just wondering why people find Barack to be so arrogant. The truth is, he's black. He is not white, he is not like the previous presidents from race alone. What is the problem that people have when this fact is pointed out. The far right conservatives have no problem pointing this out constantly. I really don't recall ever hearing this type of rhetoric with any other campaign contender. Out of touch, sure... but not arrogant, smug or over-confident. I guess I just don't see it in comparison with the current president, who prefers simple one word descriptions of himself; ie, "the decider", "the uniter". I consider the current president to be far more arrogant than the current contenders. i would rather have someone who is at least willing to consider a different POV and change their position than the alternative.

Again when is the media going to report on the McCain laspes in memory and constant incoherent answers. This is more frightening that a black "arrogant" president.

August 5, 2008 02:50 pm at 2:50 pm |

former Democrat

The American public can see through CNN's biased undying love for OBAMA. Where are the ZOGBY POLLS AND Rasmussen???????

The DNC needs to get rid of OBAMA at the convention, hopefully the Superdelegates will come to their senses and NOT BE INTIMIDATED any longer.

August 5, 2008 02:51 pm at 2:51 pm |

Jody Monroe

McCain, thanks for advertising for Obama - without Obama spending a dime!

August 5, 2008 02:52 pm at 2:52 pm |

rachae

Everyone is seeing how desperate McCain is by his tactics. And he has gone really low and people are seeing this and how out of touch he is by his commercials. Keep it up Mccain.